2013 Contract Issues: Chicago White Sox

A.J. Pierzynski - Pierzynski continues to provide offense and durability at the game's most demanding position. Remarkably, he has averaged more than 130 games per season since becoming an MLB regular in 2001. He'd be hard to replace, but he's 35 and will slow down at some point. I don't expect the White Sox to make him a qualifying offer and risk a salary of $12MM-plus.

Will Ohman - Ohman has struggled through his first 18 appearances of the 2012 season, so the 34-year-old's stock is falling. Plus, the White Sox already have left-handers Matt Thornton and Hector Santiago in their projected 2013 bullpen.

Contract Options (3)

Gavin Floyd: $9.5MM club option. It will probably make sense for the White Sox to pick up the option and obtain the rights to the durable right-hander's age-30 season.

Jake Peavy: $22MM club option with a $4MM buyout. Peavy has pitched tremendously this year, but a net cost of $18MM for someone with Peavy's injury history seems all too risky. The White Sox could trade Peavy and avoid the option decision altogether if they fall out of contention. If they keep Peavy and decline his option, they could still re-sign him at a lower average annual value.

Kosuke Fukudome: $3.5MM club option with a $500K buyout. At this point it's hard to envision the White Sox picking up the option.

The White Sox will have four arbitration eligible players next offseason, all of them first-timers. This entire class will cost less than $10MM to retain, making it one of the smallest and most affordable groups around.

2013 Payroll Obligation

The White Sox have committed approximately $79MM to next year's team, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf typically spends $95MM-plus on payroll, and the tab has exceeded $100MM in five of the past seven seasons.

Comments

If Peavy continues to pitch like this and doesn’t suffer any injuries, I’d like to see the Sox bring him back on a 1 year deal with a vesting option based on innings pitched. That gives him a chance to earn a long term contract (he’s not even 31 yet, still has time left) in Chicago, where he has expressed that he would like to stay.

Based on this season alone AJ has earned another 2 year deal and the Sox would be wise to grant him one… He’s been a durable, consistent mainstay and fan favorite. And since the Sox farm system is devoid of any talent (let alone catching talent), they’ll be looking at free agency, and if they’re going to have to sign a guy in his mid-30’s (based on this free agent class they will) it might as well be someone who has had success on your team and is familiar with your pitching staff. I see AJ being back on the Southside in 2013.

Why would you want Youkilis? He’s 33, makes almost $13 MM per year, numbers are declining, and he’s not really a third baseman. Trade Floyd for any B-level or above prospect you can get, he’s nothing better than a third or fourth starter on an above average team

I don’t see a lot of flexibility for the Sox this offseason especially concerning the money tied up in players. With $79M committed plus another $10M to the arb eligible players that gives the Sox $10-15M dollars of flexibility.

Therefore in my opinion I think Kenny should trade Floyd and Peavy for prospect packages preferably not with Toronto, Kansas City, or Philadelphia, as these teams seem to be our most frequent trade partners and never work out, then let A.J. walk and have Flowers and Josh Phegley battle it out for the starting catching job come spring training.

It’s tough to see the last of our 2005 core walking out the door but the Sox need to find a new identity, and need to start building around a new core of young players which hopefully starts with Gordon Beckham now that he is starting to produce.

Peavy and Floyd are going nowhere if the team is competing, we are getting production from our young pen and guys like De Aza and Viciedo… this makes the barren system problem much less of a problem. Quintana looks like he might be okay, Axelrod has been pitching well… Castro and Molina still could contribute as could Morel. The Sox are a pretty young team and have shown that when it clicks they can compete. No reason to have a firesale.

I agree that this team could use an overhaul. I just don’t think Ken Williams is the man to do it. Prospects are nothing more than currency to him. Not that it matters much, he sucks at drafting anyway.

Every year it’s the same thing, he won’t rebuild because he always thinks they can win. I admire the ‘always go for it’ attitude, but he seems more concerned with making headlines than winning games. As much as I like Robin Ventura, I have no idea what the thought process was on that hire.